This invention relates to programmable logic integrated circuit devices, and more particularly to programmable logic integrated circuit devices with integrated digital signal processing circuitry.
Programmable logic devices (“PLDs”) are well known as is shown, for example, by Jefferson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,215,326 and Ngai et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,407,576. PLDs typically include many regions of programmable logic that are interconnectable in any of many different ways by programmable interconnection resources. Each logic region is programmable to perform any of several logic functions on input signals applied to that region from the interconnection resources. As a result of the logic function(s) it performs, each logic region produces one or more output signals that are applied to the interconnection resources.
The interconnection resources typically include drivers, interconnection conductors, and programmable switches for selectively making connections between various interconnection conductors. The interconnection resources can generally be used to connect any logic region output to any logic region input; although to avoid having to devote a disproportionately large fraction of the device to interconnection resources, it is usually the case that only a subset of all possible interconnections can be made in any given programmed configuration of the PLD.
One of the complexities that is faced in providing programmable logic devices involves the logic capacity of programmable logic devices. The demand for interconnection resources typically increases exponentially with respect to linear increases in logic capacity. Accordingly, interconnection arrangements that are flexible, efficient, and have sufficient signal carrying capacity are needed for programmable logic devices without displacing excessive amounts of other resources such as logic or without occupying a disproportionately larger area in PLDs.
Although only logic regions are mentioned above, it should also be noted that many PLDs also now include regions of memory that can be used as random access memory (“RAM”), read-only memory (“ROM”), content addressable memory (“CAM”), product term (“p-term”) logic, etc.
As the capacity and speed of PLDs has increased, interest in using PLDs for signal or data processing tasks (e.g., for digital signal processing tasks) that may involve relatively large amounts of parallel information and may require relatively complex manipulation, combination, and recombination of that information has increased. Large numbers of signals in parallel consume a correspondingly large amount of interconnection resources; and each time that information (or another combination or recombination that includes that information) must be routed within the device, another similar large amount of the interconnection resources is consumed. Some such PLDs may be programmable to perform signal and data processing tasks that involve relatively complex manipulation, combination, and recombination of information. However, such PLDs are often deficient in providing sufficient speed of operation, sufficient logic or interconnection resources to perform additional tasks, sufficient dedicated digital signal processing circuitry and interconnection resources (e.g., multistage digital signal processing circuitry), or in providing adequate implementation of common digital signal processing tasks without impairing the operation of a substantial portion of the PLD or occupying a substantial area in the PLD.